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December 1, 2008 9:38:57 AM CST


Paramount Pictures

Paramount Pictures news stories

15 Stories

Spielberg, Paramount Split DreamWorks Projects

Divorce accomplished without years of litigation, projects divvied up

(Newser) - It may be one of the most amicable Hollywood divorces in history. Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks announced a division of 200 movie projects in development as golden-touch producer Steven Spielberg leaves to launch a new company, according to the Hollywood Reporter . The unexpectedly easy split comes in defiance of Hollywood experts who had predicted years of litigation. The two companies will even remain partners on up to 40 projects. More »

More about:  Steven Spielberg Viacom DreamWorks Paramount Pictures David Geffen Transformers Tintin

 Suit: Spielberg 
 Copied Hitchcock 

Copyright owner says Disturbia rips off Rear Window

(Newser) - Steven Spielberg ripped off Rear Window when he made last year’s thriller Disturbia , a lawsuit filed yesterday alleges. The 1954 Alfred Hitchcock classic was based on a 1942 short story, and the owner of the rights to the story has sued for compensation from Spielberg, DreamWorks, and Paramount Pictures, the AP reports. The defendants declined comment. More »

More about:  Steven Spielberg copyright infringement DreamWorks Paramount Pictures Shia LaBeouf Alfred Hitchcock

 Jones Sues
 for $10M in
 No Country Pay

Paramount hasn't coughed up promised bonuses, he argues

(Newser) - Actor Tommy Lee Jones has sued the producers of Oscar Award-winning No Country for Old Men for $10 million he claims is owed him. The suit charges Paramount Pictures failed to pay Jones a promised chunk of "significant box-office bonuses" and other compensation linked to the success of the critically acclaimed film. No Country earned $160 million at the box office, AP reports. More »

More about:  film movies Paramount Pictures Paramount No Country for Old Men Coen Brothers Tommy Lee Jones

 Paramount Loses
 $450M Funding Deal 

The failure is part of a larger trend as liquidity dries up

(Newser) - A $450-million deal with Deutsche Bank that would have financed up to 30 films for Paramount is off the table, the Financial Times   reports. Perhaps an unlikely casualty of the credit crunch, Paramount walked after a lack of enthusiasm in the market led to terms that were unattractive, persons familiar with the deal said. More »

More about:  movie industry investment banks liquidity Deutsche Bank weakening economy Paramount Pictures Star Trek Transformers movie financing

Weinsteins Sign 7-Year Deal
With Showtime

Films will replace slate lost when Paramount bailed in April

(Newser) - Showtime and the Weinstein Company have inked an exclusive 7-year movie deal, giving the pay TV network a replacement for the slate of films it lost when Paramount, MGM, and Lionsgate decamped in April and teamed up to launch a rival network, Variety reports. Showtime had balked at what it called excessive license fee demands; all the CEO would say about the fee the Weinsteins will be getting is that it's "a price that is consistent with today's marketplace." More »

More about:  Hollywood cable TV Paramount Pictures Showtime MGM Harvey Weinstein Lionsgate The Weinstein Company

 Murphy In for
 Beverly Hills Cop 4 

Paramount wants director Ratner to revive franchise after Indy-like 14 years

(Newser) - Fans of the old Eddie Murphy (you know, before the fat suits and prostheses), rejoice: A third sequel to 1984’s Beverly Hills Cop will start production next year, Variety reports. Murphy approached Paramount about the project, and the studio eagerly agreed after successfully disinterring Indiana Jones. Murphy is attached, Brett Ratner may direct, but will Judge Reinhold be back? More »

More about:  movie Indiana Jones Paramount Pictures sequel Eddie Murphy



 Iron Man  
 Blasts Off 
 at Box Office 

Action flick is 10th highest opener ever

(Newser) - Paramount and Marvel struck gold with Iron Man this weekend, raking in $201 million worldwide in the tenth-best opening ever, Variety reports. The male-skewing film left room for Made of Honor to draw in women and $15.5 million in second spot.  More »

More about:  box office Paramount Pictures Paramount Marvel Comics Robert Downey Jr. Iron Man

Movie Studios to Create Premium Channel

MGM, Paramount, Lionsgate joint venture would target HBO

(Newser) - Paramount Pictures, MGM Studios, and Lionsgate are creating a premium TV channel to compete with HBO and Showtime, reports the Los Angeles Times, which currently showcase their programming. The joint venture comes as those same channels look to pay studios less for movies and pursue production of their own content. More »

More about:  television Viacom HBO Paramount Pictures MGM Showtime United Artists

Board Games Set for Turn
on Big Screen

Monopoly, Candy Land to follow in steps of Transformers, Toy Story

(Newser) - Paramount has the rights to any Transformers sequels, but a new deal with toymaker Hasbro guarantees Universal Pictures sole access to nearly all the company's iconic brands, including board games. The studio is said to be developing a Monopoly film, and a new live-action version of the game Clue may also be in the works, E! Online reports. More »

More about:  movie Paramount Pictures Hasbro Universal Pictures Monopoly

Studios Win Suit Against TorrentSpy

Site allows users abroad to find, download films

(Newser) - A federal judge has put an early end to a copyright infringement trial, finding online file-sharing service TorrentSpy.com liable for movie piracy. In a victory for Paramount Pictures and other film studios, the Los Angeles court ruled that the operators of TorrentSpy destroyed evidence and made false statements under oath, the Wall Street Journal reports. More »

More about:  Los Angeles copyright law Paramount Pictures Amsterdam

Vudu to Match DVD HD Releases

Service will offer HD downloads same day DVDs hit stores

(Newser) - The Bourne Ultimatum , the Matt Damon action movie, will be available online Tuesday - the same day as the DVD reaches video stores. AP reports it's the first of many high-definition movies to be released by Vudu, the on-demand video service. Vudu, which sells its set-top box for $399, will offer HD movies like the Bourne series for $24.99. More »

More about:  movie Paramount Pictures Universal Pictures The Bourne Ultimatum Vudu The Bourne Identity The Bourne Supremacy Lionsgate

Issue of Stars' Safety Delays Kite Runner

Producers fear film may inflame Afghanistan's ethnic tensions

(Newser) - Paramount Vantage is pushing back the release of "The Kite Runner" to allow its child stars to leave Afghanistan, the New York Times reports. The studio, worried that a “Danish-cartoons situation” could erupt over an ethnically charged rape scene, has moved the film's release date to Dec. 14. The 12-year-old starring in the scene says he fears for his life. More »

More about:  Afghanistan movie rape Paramount Pictures Kite Runner

Speilberg & Paramount Head for Divorce

Unhappy DreamWorks director will likely seek new backer

(Newser) - A split between the DreamWorks braintrust and Paramount appears inevitable amid reports that director Steven Spielberg and partner David Geffen will seek new backers as soon as they're free to do so. The duo have been upset almost from the moment they sold Dreamworks to Paramount two years ago, complaining that the parent label takes credit for hits like "Transformers," and treats their friends poorly. More »

More about:  movie film Hollywood Steven Spielberg Viacom DreamWorks Paramount Pictures David Geffen Stacey Snider

Paramount Drops Blu-Ray for HD DVD

High-definition format war takes a new turn
as player prices fall

(Newser) - The face-off between two standards for high-definition DVDs took a new turn yesterday as Paramount Pictures and its subsidiary DreamWorks dropped support of Sony's Blu-ray format. Starting this week, the studios will distribute new discs exclusively in the HD DVD format, which is supported by Toshiba and functions on less expensive players, the LA Times reports. More »

More about:  movie film Sony DreamWorks DVD HD DVD Paramount Pictures Blu ray Toshiba

Spielberg May Split From Paramount

Angry director could pack up DreamWorks
and leave studio

(Newser) - Steven Spielberg is so disillusioned with Paramount Pictures that he may bail on the studio, which less than 2 years ago bought the director's DreamWorks for $1.53 billion. The legend behind Jaws, E.T.,  and Transformers is furious that Paramount takes credit for his movies and mistreats his friends, including firing best bud Tom Cruise, Business Week reports. More »

More about:  movie film Steven Spielberg Oscar Viacom DreamWorks Paramount Pictures David Geffen Jaws Tom Hanks Jeffrey Katzenberg E.T.

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